


Starlight

by shushu_yaoi_lj



Series: The truth about love [3]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell, Simon Snow & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas fic, Coming Out, Crack, Dev's father is a dick, Established Relationship, Fluff, Found Family, Homophobic Language, M/M, Penny is on fire, The Talk, a little bit of angst in chapter 2, a lot of fruit, homophobic parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26104765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shushu_yaoi_lj/pseuds/shushu_yaoi_lj
Summary: “Mother, Father,” says Baz, looking all stiff and solemn, “this is Simon Snow, my boyfriend.”I can’t help but gloat a bit, because he’s said it with some kind of pride and it feels nice to hear him say it out loud.I’m Baz’s boyfriend.Or the sequel to ‘The truth about love’ and ‘Unintended’.
Relationships: Dev/Niall (Simon Snow), Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Series: The truth about love [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1826053
Comments: 44
Kudos: 162





	1. Banana

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thanks and virtual hugs to [ imhellakitty ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/imhellakitty/) and [ commeunoasis ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/commeunoasis/pseuds/commeunoasis) for being so amazing and supportive. I couldn’t ask for better betas. 💙  
> This chapter takes place a month after The truth about love. If you haven't read "Unintended", you can still enjoy the fic (but maybe chapter 2 and 3 won't make much sense).  
> The title is from the song “Starlight” by Muse.

**Simon**

We’ve been in the car for a couple of hours and I’m finally starting to feel less like a spoilt git.

Baz’s father has sent his butler to fetch us from Watford. His fucking butler came to collect us and is now driving us all the way to Hampshire for the Christmas holidays.

“Could we not take the train?” I asked, when I saw the super expensive car and the tall man dressed in a dark suit, wearing gloves and a silly hat.

I bet his name’s Nigel (I introduced myself, but he simply stared at me, looking alarmed).

“We’re nearly there,” says Baz, squeezing my hand. I think he’s doing it to reassure me, but he’s the one who looks like he’s bricking it.

“It’s going to be ok,” I whisper in his ear and then I kiss his cheek for good measure. I tried snogging him earlier, but Nigel cleared his throat loudly and I could see he looked really embarrassed in the rear-view mirror.

As soon as we step out of the car, I can feel my mouth opening wide as I stare at the imposing building in front of me.

“Downton Abbey,” I mutter, “you grew up in bloody Downton Abbey. Is Maggie Smith coming for dinner?” I ask.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Simon,” Baz says, holding my hand and dragging me inside, “she might come for New Year’s Eve though.”

“Wait, are you taking the piss or are you for real?”

He doesn’t get a chance to answer, though, because as soon as the front door opens, we’re greeted by his family.

I know about all of them; Baz has given me a crash course in the Grimm-Pitch family tree, but his father is still terrifying. His step-mum is smiling at us though, his little brother babbling in her arms. The twins are standing at her side, holding her skirt for dear life, and Mordelia looks like a miniature Daphne, sporting her dad’s frown.

“Welcome home, Basilton. Mr Snow,” Mr Grimm nods at me, looking like he’s just swallowed something unpleasant.

“Mother, Father,” says Baz, looking all stiff and solemn, “this is Simon Snow, my boyfriend.”

I can’t help but gloat a bit, because he’s said it with some kind of pride and it feels nice to hear him say it out loud.

I’m Baz’s boyfriend.

I smile and my eyes suddenly meet his sister’s. She’s small and dark-haired; her eyes remind me of Penny’s as she looks like she’s studying me.

“If you are my brother’s boyfriend,” she says, “does it mean that you two kiss?”

“Yes,” I answer straight away, “we also do other stuff-“ I feel Baz’s elbow hitting my ribs, as he swears under his breath. His father looks like he’s going to eviscerate me on the doorstep.

Shit, I haven’t even made it inside the house and I’ve already made some kind of faux pas.

“Like what?” Mordelia asks, her eyes open wide.

“Well, we hold hands a lot,” I say tentatively and I feel Baz relaxing next to me, “and we do our homework together.” It comes out sounding more like a question, but Daphne smiles at me and Mr Grimm seems to have postponed his murder plans for now. He moves and lets us in.

This is going to be an interesting holiday…

**Baz**

He’s going to be the death of me.

I show him around the house and his jaw seems to hit the floor by the time we get to my room. I wish he could sleep here with me, but my parents have been very clear about Snow using the guest room.

It will be the first time we sleep in separate beds since the bond and I’m feeling strangely anxious about it. I actually don’t know if I’ll be able to rest without him next to me. I’ve always struggled to fall asleep over the holidays, without his smell and the sound of his soft snoring. I seriously don’t know how I’m going to cope now that I’m used to him lying in my arms, all tangled up and warm, his magic slowly seeping into me.

“Baz?” he asks, looking around, “is this your actual bedroom?”

“Yes, why?”

“It’s ginormous!” he shouts, “the furniture looks like it’s hundreds of years old. And what’s with the red walls? Were you going for the vampire look?”

“Ha ha, very funny,” I say sarcastically, “I’m not allowed to hang anything up or move anything around. The house is registered with the National Trust.”

“Bummer,” he mutters.

**Simon**

The bed is heavy and draped and when I step closer, I realise that there are gargoyles carved into the trim.

Actual fucking gargoyles.

“How do you even manage to sleep here?” I ask, sitting on the chest at the foot of the bed (which, I realise too late, also has creepy gargoyles on it).

“I’m used to it,” he says shrugging (I’m rubbing off on him) and then he sits next to me and takes my hand.

The room smells like him and I smile as I turn and catch his lips into a kiss. He’s been tense since we left Watford, so I kiss him some more, cupping his cheek with my hand and sliding my tongue against his, as he moans softly into my mouth, finally relaxing.

Merlin, I’ll never get tired of this. Of us.

I’ll never stop wanting to hold him in my arms, feeling him pushing back, like it’s a fight between us for who loves the other more. I like falling asleep with Baz in my arms, warming him up in the cold winter nights, feeling him melt under my hands and whispering that he loves me.

I deepen the kiss, thinking about what he told me the other day. That he has loved me since the day he met me, that I’m the only one he’s ever wanted to kiss or make love to. That he wants to be with me for as long as I’ll have him.

There’s a loud knock on the door and we both jump as Mordelia walks in, without even waiting for Baz to answer.

“Dinner’s ready,” she proclaims, “were you two kissing _and_ holding hands? I didn’t know you were allowed to do that at the same time! Are you going to do your homework next?”

“Mordelia!” shouts Baz, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at her.

Having siblings sounds like hard work.

**Baz**

Dinner would be a smooth affair, if it weren’t for the fact that Snow doesn’t have a clue which cutlery to use, in spite of me explaining it to him a million times. Daphne keeps on offering him seconds and he accepts every time; I don’t know if he’s doing it out of politeness or because he’s genuinely hungry.

Mordelia seems to be really interested in the boyfriend situation and she keeps on asking questions that are making Father very uncomfortable.

“Can you marry my brother, if you are a boy?”

Snow opens his mouth, then closes it, opens it again and looks at me with a worried expression on his face. I should probably save him, but I have no idea what to say. It’s not like we’ve discussed marriage yet…

“Err…” he starts, “we can get married, since Elton John did it. I don’t know if your brother wants to, but I will ask him…later?”

I haven’t fed yet, but I think I still manage to blush a bit.

“Who’s Elton John?” Mordelia asks, but my father clears his throat and the conversation ends there.

Simon’s really lovely though. He’s doing his best to chat with Daphne and he’s helping my little brother eat. He said he used to help the little ones in the homes over the summer and my heart skipped a beat. I felt like taking him aside and hugging him, but when I squeezed his hand under the table, he simply smiled at me.

“Basilton, Mr Snow,” Father suddenly says, “would you like to join me in my office for a friendly chat after dinner?”

Shit, that sounds ominous.

“Sure,” says my boyfriend, completely oblivious, “please call me Simon, sir.”

**Simon**

I thought we were supposed to have a friendly chat, so why does Baz look so terrified? We’ve been sitting in front of his father’s desk for a good ten minutes, waiting for him to come and join us, and Baz’s leg keeps on bouncing up and down.

“Baz, chill out!”

“Shut up, Simon! You have no idea what my father is capable of. Maybe he got the Coven involved. Maybe they want to break us up…”

No fucking way! After the massive fight I had with the Mage when I told him Baz and I were together and we would not fight anymore, I thought the worst was over.

“I left my wand in your room,” I confess, scratching my neck.

“What?! Why do you keep on forgetting your wand, you numpty?” he says, frustrated, “you can cast defensive spells now. You need it!”

“I thought we were just going to have dinner with your family, not face an angry mob!”

The door suddenly opens and Mr Grimm comes in. We both sit up straight in our chairs and wait for him to move.

“I apologise for making you wait. The girls wanted a goodnight story,” he says, sitting behind his desk.

He looks at me, then at Baz, then back at me and sighs.

If dinner was a test, I think I haven’t passed it. Maybe I should have combed my hair. Or could it be because I had no fucking clue about which fork to use at dinner? There were loads; why do rich people have to show off how many bloody forks they have by putting them all on the table at the same time?

“Basilton,” he says with a deep voice, “Simon.”

He stops and opens a drawer, rummaging inside and then taking something out. He puts a strange bottle with some clear liquid (a potion?) on the desk, followed by a small red box (it could contain a dark magickal artefact), some nail clippers and a banana.

I’m super confused, but Baz seems to have understood what this is about, as he opens his eyes wide and he starts shaking his head.

“Father,” he starts, his voice quivering, “please, no. There’s no need to…”

Why is Baz panicking? Is this some kind of family ritual? A dark spell?

I tense and consider getting the Sword of Mages out, but I want to avoid fighting my possible future father-in-law.

“Mr Grimm, I’m sure we can talk about this like adults,” I say and to my surprise, he nods.

“I was hoping you were going to be responsible about this, Simon. Since we’re all adults here,” he starts, “I would like to make sure that we know what we should be doing.”

He grabs the bottle and passes it to me. I’m well confused; am I supposed to drink this?

“Lubricant,” he says solemnly.

“What?” I ask and Baz groans next to me, covering his face with his hand. His father clears his voice and continues.

“In homosexual intercourse, it is very important to use a good amount of lubrication,” he sounds like he’s learnt this speech by heart. “That’s why it’s necessary to use the right type of lube, when you eventually decide to take that important step and have sex for the first time.”

He pauses for a minute and then opens the box, fishing out a string of condoms.

“Father, please…” begs Baz, and I’ve never seen him looking so embarrassed.

I think I have to save the day. 

“Mr Grimm,” I say, leaning forward in my chair, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but that ship has sailed.”

Baz’s father was just about to show us how to get a condom out safely, when he stops in his tracks.

“I beg your pardon?” he asks.

“We have already had sex,” I explain and Baz groans next to me, “I don’t think we need to have this chat.”

His eyebrows go so high, that I think they might hit his widow’s peak.

“You…you have?” he asks.

“Yes, and we use lube all the time. Baz uses condoms, because he doesn’t want to risk turning me with his…you know.”

I think I’ve said something wrong, because they both make a weird sound, like they’re in pain. But I’ve started talking, so I might as well finish.

“I don’t know what the nail clippers are for, I’m assuming to make sure we don’t end up scratching each other. I’m a bit confused about the banana,” I say and Baz actually whimpers next to me. “But I supposed we could try to use it…Baz?”

**Baz**

If I weren’t kind of dead already, I would not have survived the evening.

My father nearly had an aneurism and I had to drag Snow out, before he managed to say something even more mortifying.

The banana, for fuck’s sake!

**Simon**

I think Baz is mad at me. He takes me to my room and then says that he needs to feed. I ask if I can go with him, but he shakes his head and says that his parents would get mad, if they found out that he had taken me hunting.

I kiss him goodnight and he looks upset. I hold his hand until he turns and leaves. I stand there and look at him disappear down the dark corridor, feeling like I’ve failed him. I wish I could go hunting with him and have a chat, clear the air a bit.

I wish I could sleep with him and have a cuddle.

I open the door to my room and hold my breath.

Fuck a nine-toad troll! And I thought Baz’s room was scary…

My room is the creepiest I’ve seen in the whole house (and we’ve passed some kind of dungeon where I’m sure they sacrifice goats and such). There’s a dragon painted on the archway around the door. Its face is charmed to glow and follow me in the dark. Who on earth thought that would be fun? And what the fuck do the people from the National Trust have to say about that?

There’s something that moans and clicks under the bed, making the bedpost shake. I think his parents are downstairs. What if they think I’m having a very intense wanking session during the night?

Shit…

**Baz**

I might have been too harsh with Simon. I just got so stressed about Father. I really wanted him to like Simon and everything seems to have gone wrong, but honestly, why on earth did he decide to give us the talk?

But as embarrassing as it was, I think a part of me still enjoyed the fact that Simon stood up for me, in spite of the fact that Father terrifies him.

I finish feeding and then walk back to the manor. A bit of fresh air has done me good and I think I’ve cleared my head. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if Father approves or not. I love Simon and he loves me, and that’s all I should care about.

I walk by his room, trying not to make any noise and gently knock on his door. There’s no answer.

“Simon?” I whisper, but there’s silence at the other end of the door.

I feel quite disappointed; I just wanted a goodnight kiss.

I open the door to my room and it’s pleasantly warm, since Vera has lit the fire before dinner. I take my clothes off and put my pyjamas on and I still feel a shiver running down my spine. How am I going to sleep without my human hot water bottle next to me?

I sigh as I grab a book from the shelf and then head to bed.

I stop and gasp.

Bronze curls peek out from under the covers and I see a freckled leg appear as he turns and mumbles in his sleep. I slide in and cuddle up next to him.

“Mhh,” he mutters, “you’re cold.”

“Sorry,” I apologise, a smile appearing on my lips.

“C’mere,” he mumbles sleepily, “I’ll warm you up.”

His arms wrap around me and I snuggle closer, feeling his magic flowing into my body, like a soft current that is now so familiar to me that I’ve come to miss it.

“Sorry about earlier,” I say and then I kiss his chin. He lowers his face and his lips meet mine, softly and tenderly.

“You don’t need to apologise. I’m sorry for saying something inappropriate to your dad.”

I shake my head and then slide my hand under his t-shirt, my fingers roaming across his warm skin and tracing patterns on his chest.

“Baz,” he says, “I’m not sure I can do it here. The gargoyles are watching. All forty-one of them.”

“There’s forty-two, you missed one,” I say with a smile against his lips.

“Seriously though,” he replies, “how did you manage to wank in this bed? It’s like having an audience of weird monsters that are pulling their tongue at you while you touch your dick.”

“I just closed my eyes, you idiot,” I mutter, shaking my head.

A moment goes by and then his hands start to lazily map my body, warming me up and making me feel safe. Making me feel loved.

“What did you think about,” he whispers, “when…you know?”

“You’d like to know, eh?” I tease and he playfully smacks my bottom.

“Just answer the bloody question, will you?” he grumbles, sliding his hand down my trousers and grabbing my arse.

“Bronze curls,” I start, “blue eyes. Freckles and moles.”

I can see the smile appearing on his beautiful face and I trace it with my fingertips.

“Yeah?” he asks, bringing our lips together and pouring more of his magic into me, “you thought about me?”

“Always you,” I reply, “only you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! 🍌🍌🍌  
> The next one will be about Dev's coming out.


	2. Watermelon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watermelons, chickens, packing up.  
> Dev’s coming out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very special thank you to [ imhellakitty ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/imhellakitty/) and [ commeunoasis ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/commeunoasis/pseuds/commeunoasis) for being so amazing and for finding all my silly mistakes and giving me ideas on how to improve this difficult chapter. Thank you soooo much! 
> 
> This chapter takes place a week after chapter 1.  
> Warning for homophobic parents (this is Dev’s coming out), so this might be a trigger for some people.

**Niall**

I feel his fingers sliding through my hair, gripping it loosely at the nape of my neck and tilting my head, to gain better access to my mouth. His lips are slightly chapped; he’s been biting on them a lot in the past few days. I wish I could do something to make him feel better. I wish I could talk to his parents, make them understand.

My breath hitches in my throat as he moves again, his tongue asking for access and I open my lips, letting him lick into my mouth, tasting like the hot chocolate we’ve just finished drinking.

“You taste divine,” he mumbles against me, “I want to fucking eat you.”

“Mhhh,” it seems I have lost the ability to speak. I feel his fingers pulling at my jumper, moving it out of the way and then exposing my back. His hands slide under my clothes and feel surprisingly warm.

I want him so badly.

“Niiiaaaall!” my sister calls from downstairs, “we need help with dinner!”

“Fuck,” he mutters, his mouth leaving mine with a heavy sigh, then capturing it back for another kiss that leaves me lightheaded and vaguely aroused.

“Shit, I can’t go downstairs with a boner,” I complain, moving his hand and trying to put some distance between us. I look down and he’s even harder than me.

“Crowley, Dev,” I huff, “think cooling thoughts.”

“Niall, chéri! Tout va bien?” asks my mum and I’m suddenly very aware of the fact that my bedroom door is open (she insisted on it when I told her Dev and I are boyfriends) and that she could barge in any minute and find us like this. We probably look like horny little rabbits caught digging in the carrot patch.

“Oui, j’arrive!” I shout, taking a deep breath and sorting out my hair. I stand up to look at myself in the mirror. “Dev, do I look ok?”

“You look like you were about to get shagged,” he answers, trying to button up his shirt, “and you have a very guilty expression on our face.”

“Piss off, whose fault do you think it is?”

Watermelons in a fridge. I’ve read it somewhere (was it Murakami?) that you should think about watermelons in a fridge to get a boner to go down.

I take a deep breath. Then another one.

“You stay here,” I tell him and he looks at me like a lost puppy, so I feel like I’m melting and I change my mind straight away, “ok, you can come, but you need to behave.”

He winks at me and I feel my cheeks catching fire.

Watermelons…in a fucking freezer.

**Dev**

Well, it’s a good job that I came to give them a hand. Niall’s mum wanted him to help her stuff a chicken and he nearly had a panic attack at the sight of the raw meat, so I had to step in.

His therapy is going well and he’s working on his compulsions, little by little, starting from the ones that make him less anxious. He’s working really hard and I’m so proud of him.

“Dev?” he whispers to me, when his sister and his mum are busy preparing the veg for the roast at the other end of the kitchen, “please, stay here this evening.”

He looks at me with pleading eyes and I just want to kiss him right now. I’ve missed him so much this week; we’ve barely spent any time together, because my parents have been impossible.

“I’ll text my mother,” I say and he gives me a soft peck on the cheek.

I wash my hands thoroughly and then grab my phone from my trousers pocket and just write that I’m staying at Niall’s for dinner.

My mobile starts ringing straight away and my mother’s high-pitched voice informs me that she has already arranged a dinner date with Mrs Longfellow and her daughter Laura and that I’m expected at home in half an hour. End of conversation.

“Sorry, love,” I say and Niall looks livid.

“Who’s Mrs Longfellow?” he asks.

“Don’t worry, Niall,” says his sister, “I’m pretty sure Laura’s got a boyfriend already; I saw her snogging a guy at the Club the other day. Her mum probably doesn’t know.”

Wait, is Niall jealous?

“Lucie, leave them alone,” says their mum and then I feel her arms closing around me all of a sudden. “Dev, I know you’re going through a rough time with your parents, but remember that this is your home too. My door is always open for you.”

I feel like I might start crying any minute now, what with my parents trying to set me up with random girls, Niall being jealous and his mum acting so nice. I mutter a broken thank you and Niall takes my hand and drags me away.

We go upstairs and he closes the door behind us with a soft sound.

“Wait, the do-“ I start to say, but his mouth is on mine before I can continue and he gently pushes me until I’m lying on the bed under him.

“How much time do we have?” he asks, licking his lips as he unzips my trousers.

“About fifteen minutes,” I manage to say, gasping as he lowers my trousers and gently kisses his way down my torso.

“I can work with that,” he says.

**Niall**

By the time I walk him to the door and he stands there, car keys in hand, warm smile on his face and dishevelled looking, he’s already ten minutes late.

“I’m sorry,” I say, “I hope you won’t get in trouble.”

“Don’t you dare apologise. That was amazing, thank you.”

His lips gently brush against mine and I softly hum against them. He seems to change his mind, pulls me closer and deepens the kiss. He’s probably tasting himself on my lips and I feel my dick stirring in my pants again.

“I miss you,” he whispers, “I can’t wait to go back to Watford.”

“Me too,” I say and my fingers stroke his cheeks, then trace his eyebrows and slide in his tousled hair.

“I’m going to tell them tomorrow,” he blurts out, “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t lie anymore.”

I bring him closer and he buries his face in my neck, breathing in and closing his eyes.

“I love you,” he murmurs.

“I love you more,” I reply.

“It’s not a competition, Niall,” he chuckles.

**Dev**

Dinner drags for way too long and when I finally manage to go back to my room, it’s already quite late.

I text Niall to say goodnight to him and he calls me back, his voice soft and sleepy on the phone. He was waiting for me before going to bed. I close my eyes and I can picture him next to me, all warm and comforting.

Merlin, I miss him so much…

I start packing some of the things I want to take away with me. I know my parents are going to kick me out when I tell them that I’m in love with Niall and that I’m going to study art at university. I want to have my bag ready. I’m not planning on packing my stuff with my parents screaming at me in the background.

When I’m done, I lie on my bed for ages and I can’t sleep.

I miss him.

**Niall**

Dev is a bundle of nerves when I arrive at his place in the morning. His mother seems surprised to see me there, but she’s still nice to me. We go to his room and since there’s no “open door” rule, I cast a locking spell and then take him straight to bed. We kiss and we kiss, until my mouth is sore and Dev is a whimpering mess in my arms.

Good.

“My room’s ready for you,” I tell him, our noses touching as we’re lying next to each other, his breath warm against my skin. “I’ve got the pull-out bed and my least embarrassing sheets all set up for you.”

He smiles and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear.

“Do you mean the Snoopy ones or the Doctor Who sheets with the Tardis?”

“Shut up, the Tardis is not embarrassing,” I pretend to get offended, “even Snow said so.”

“Oh well,” he argues, “if we’re basing out judgments on Snow’s opinion, then that’s fine.”

“He’s actually ok, you know?”

“Yes,” he says with a smile, “he’s a nice bloke. But we both know that if I sleep in your room, I will sneak into your bed.”

“Fine with me, but I have Winnie the Pooh bed sheets.”

**Dev**

I think my mother has organised another dinner with a potential girlfriend, so I’ve planned to speak to them in the afternoon.

The hours go by and I feel restless, my hands are sweaty and I can’t be still. Thank Merlin, Niall’s here with me.

“Have you thought about what you’re going to say?” he asks, sitting on my bed in his underwear as I draw him (he brought my pad and pencils, because he thought it might help me relax).

“I’ve been reading about coming outs and I’ve also been watching videos,” I reply, my eyes focusing on the curve of his neck, on the way his soft curls fall around his ears.

“Found anything interesting?” he asks.

“I found a video from _Queer As Folk_ with Stuart’s coming out. That had quite a lot of interesting ways of saying ‘queer’.”

“That sounds interesting,” he says, “can I see it?”

I load the video on my phone and I hand it to him, then I continue drawing while he’s watching it. His eyes open wide.

“Backside artist!” he shouts and I tell him that’s my favourite too.

“I also quite like ‘I dine at the downstairs restaurant’. It almost sounds romantic,” he snorts.

“One thing is for sure; I am not going to apologise,” I say and I am one hundred percent certain of it, “I don’t want to say sorry for who I am.”

“Of course not,” he says with a warm smile.

And I put my pad down and go to him, because he’s so fucking beautiful and I can’t stand not touching him for a minute longer.

We cuddle for the rest of the afternoon, waiting for tea time.

The doorbell rings; my cousin and his boyfriend are here. They insisted on coming to show their support, but I honestly didn’t believe they would show up.

“Do you also live in a posh house?” Snow asks Niall, looking around with his mouth open wide.

Niall laughs and shakes his head.

“No, my house is much smaller. We’re not rich.”

I ask the butler to get both of my parents in the dining room, instead of the sitting room (I need a big table between us) and to bring tea and biscuits. Merlin knows I will need a cup of tea to get through this.

They both seem surprised when they see us walking in, especially when they notice Snow.

We sit down opposite them. Niall’s next to me, holding my hand under the table.

“Mother, Father,” I begin, my voice starting to shake already, “I believe you’ve never met Simon Snow.”

“Nice to meet you,” Snow says with a nervous smile. They simply stare at him.

“He’s my boyfriend,” Baz adds unnecessarily. As if uncle Malcolm hadn’t already announced it to the whole Coven and it hadn’t been the scandal of the decade. I think Baz simply likes saying it out loud.

The doorbell rings again.

“Who could it be?” wonders my mother, “our guests are not expected until 6:30.”

And then Penelope Bunce walks in; her short pleated skirt is a colourful distraction in the darkness of my house. She takes her coat off and sits down next to me.

“And this is Penelope Bunce,” I say, smiling at her.

“How do you do,” she mutters, straightening her glasses. She looks ready for battle.

“Devlin, what is going on?” asks my mother, looking confused.

“Mother, Father,” I take a deep breath, “I know this will come as a surprise to you, but I have a few things that I need to tell you and you won’t probably like them.”

Niall squeezes my left hand and Bunce takes the other one. Her palms are soft and warm.

“I’m in love with Niall,” I blurt out. And then I stop. Because I had prepared a whole spiel about the importance of living my life, making my own decisions and that being queer is not the end of the world, because we’re not in the Middle fucking Ages. But it just came out.

My eyes meet Niall’s and they’re so full of love. He looks so proud.

“I love him and I want to be with him,” I continue, and my parents look so shocked that their mouths are hanging open, “and we’re going to go to university together. I’m going to study art, because that’s what I’m passionate about.”

“What?” roars my father, banging his hand on the table and making us all jump. “You will most certainly not do that! You’re going to Oxford. Like me, my father and my grandfather.”

My mother looks lost, staring at me and then at him. She also casts a glance towards Niall and her lips start to wobble.

“B-but…Devlin…” she mumbles, tears falling down her cheeks.

**Niall**

“Do you realise that without our support, you have no money?” asks his father.

“I’m going to ask for a student loan. Find a small flat with Niall and live together,” replies Dev and I close my eyes for a few seconds, because I’ve dreamt of this for ages, of him saying it out loud to his parents, saying that he wants to be with me.

“I will not tolerate this nonsense!” shouts Mr Grimm, “if you do that, you can leave this house and never come back!”

His mother whimpers next to him and shakes her head, a pleading look towards both her husband and her son.

“Darling, please, we can talk-“ she starts, but he cuts her off straight away.

“Shut up, Mildred!”

“Don’t speak to Mother like that,” says Dev with a menacing tone and his father looks like he’s going to hex him.

“You can say goodbye to your inheritance,” he warns him and then Bunce clears her voice really loudly and we all turn towards her.

“Well, actually, Mr Grimm,” she proclaims, “I have studied the Grimm code of conduct and inheritance traditions and Dev can actually take possession of his inheritance, provided that he gets married.”

“Exactly, you little swot!” he says triumphantly.

“The Code doesn’t state that the spouse needs to be a woman,” says Bunce with a sly smile on her face.

“What?” bellows Dev’s father, “this is impossible!”

“Oh no, it’s actually quite common. The Codes are so old, that they took for granted that the marriage was going to be heterosexual. But it’s effectively a loophole.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he says angrily, “I’ll change it!”

“I’m afraid you can’t,” says Bunce, crossing her legs, “you should have done it before Dev turned eighteen. It’s too late now. It’s all written in the massive volume of Rules and Regulations of the House of Grimm. You can double check yourself, if you don’t believe me.”

“How did you get your paws on it?” he asks in disbelief, looking like he’s about to throw the whole table across the room.

“I gave it to her, uncle,” says Baz, looking cool and composed, “I think you should just let Dev live his life. He’s an adult now.”

“Shut up, Baz! Just because you’re bent, it doesn’t mean that my son needs to be like you.”

“Hey!” shouts Snow, standing up and looking like he’s about to go off. Baz gently tugs his jumper and laces their fingers together.

“It’s ok, Simon,” he whispers and Snow calms down instantly, “I’m not ashamed of who I am.”

**Dev**

What a colossal mess. Mother’s in tears, Father is ready to curse us all and I’m pretty sure Snow is about to get the Sword of Mages out.

My mother lets out a loud sob and I look at her, my heart breaking a little bit, even though I always assumed I wouldn’t care. That I was over it. That she didn’t care about me.

“Mother…”

“Devlin,” she whispers, “I don’t want you to leave…”

“I’m sorry,” I say to her and I feel Niall’s hand squeezing mine, solid and reassuring.

He’s got me.

“If you’ve made your decision, pack your bags,” Father declares, “you know where the door is.”

I stand up and all my friends do the same. My bag is ready by the door and we leave the room in silence.

Baz opens the front door and they all step out. I turn and look at my house for what is probably the last time. I feel something tight in my chest, like a burden that I didn’t even know was there.

My mother appears all of a sudden and she hands me a small parcel.

“Your Christmas present,” she says, her voice breaking.

“I’ve left yours under the Christmas tree,” I say and I find the courage to smile at her. “I’m going to be ok, Mother.”

“I’ll talk to your father,” she whispers, “I’m not losing you.”

And I find myself hugging her, like I haven’t done since I was a little boy. Her arms wrap around my waist and she holds me there, for what feels like hours.

When we part, she strokes my face and nods at me.

“Your friends are waiting for you,” she says.

**Niall**

Baz drives us back to my place. Bunce is sitting at the front, so it’s Snow, Dev and me at the back and we’re like sardines in a can.

“Move your fucking elbow, Snow,” says Dev.

“I can’t, I’m stuck!”

“You can drop me off at the train station and then one of you can move to the front,” says Penny.

“Wait, did you come all the way here by train?” asks Dev, looking confused.

“Yes, I don’t drive,” she shrugs.

And I think it suddenly hits us how much she cares about him. She’s spent a good two hours on the train to be here for his coming out and then she’s going back straight away.

“Stay at Pitch Manor for this evening,” says Baz calmly, “we have plenty of rooms and Simon will be happy to have you around.”

Bunce looks unconvinced and she starts arguing that she doesn’t have a change of clothes.

“Penny, Baz has a massive library,” says Snow and that seems to convince her.

“We can all meet up tomorrow for breakfast. How about that?” asks Baz and Dev nods.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, “really. Thanks everyone.”

When we get home, my mum hugs him for a good five minutes and refuses to let him go. Then it’s my sisters’ turn and when I finally manage to drag him upstairs, he looks wobbly and like he’s about to cry.

“Why is everyone so nice to me?” he asks.

I take his hand and lead him in, closing the door behind us.

“Niall, your mum wants the door open,” he reminds me, but I shush him with a soft kiss.

“It’s ok for today,” I whisper against his lips, “come to bed.”

We lie under the thick duvet, his head on my chest and our legs tangled up together as I stroke his hair and let him cry a bit. He clings to my t-shirt and buries his face into the crook of my neck, his body shaking and loud sobs escaping his mouth.

“You’re going to be ok, love,” I tell him, over and over again, carding my fingers through his hair, stroking his back, kissing his forehead. I hold him through the storm that is going on in his head. “I’ve got you.”

“Are you disappointed in me?” he asks after a while, his voice thick.

“Why would I be, you moron? I’m so proud of you!”

“Because I said sorry…” he mumbles and I tilt his head, so that he can look me straight in the eyes.

“You just said sorry because your mum was upset, not because you’re regretting your choices,” I say and he nods, then moves up and our lips meet.

“You’re stuck with me now,” he murmurs against my mouth, kissing me gently.

“Dev, there’s nothing else I’ve ever wanted more in my life.”

He smiles at me, his mad beautiful smile that makes me weak in the knees.

He’s such a lovely mess. His eyes are a bit puffy and red and he still looks a wreck, but I know he’s going to be fine. I can see it in his eyes.

“Good, because there’s no watermelon that will save you from tonight,” he says.

I laugh as he starts taking off my clothes.


End file.
